Meal preparation doesn’t have to take a lot of time! Learn how to plan and prepare meals quickly and easily to save time, money, and worry
A Simple Guide to Meal Preparation
Prepare Meals for the Week
I work as a full-time blogger, food photographer, and business owner, so I never really get a break. There is always work to be done; therefore, I often labor from dawn to dusk. Without enough sleep, nutritious food, and some daily exercise, I couldn’t complete even half the items on my to-do list. You probably understand the rat race since you’re also busy and are aware of how important living a healthy lifestyle is to your success.
When it comes to leading a healthy life, meal planning is crucial. You’ll be able to concentrate on your job or daily activities when you meal prep for the next week since you’ll be saving time, money, and stress.
I’ve discovered that I save time by bulk-preparing my breakfast and lunch for the work week. Do not, however, believe that you must spend many hours or an entire day in the kitchen. You may whip up tasty meals you enjoy quickly with the aid of my easy recipes.
Advantages Of Meal Preparation
Meal planning reduces costs
When you have freezer dinners or prepared food at home, you don’t have to worry about blowing all of your money on takeout or stopping after work to get something. Because you prepare your meals in bulk and utilize various items for many dishes, the average cost per meal is so much cheaper.
Meal planning decreases food waste
This is significant to me. When I initially started learning how to cook, I simply sort of purchased things haphazardly, which caused a lot of my fruit to go bad or caused me to forget about meat in the freezer.
Being able to use products in two different ways is, in my opinion, one of the nicest aspects of meal preparation and planning. Because you are aware of what is in the fridge and how it will be utilized, learning to prepare meals that use the same ingredients for many dishes may help you reduce food waste.
Meal preparation saves time
Sometimes saving time is just as crucial as saving money! I really understand that I won’t have time in my hectic day to prepare a substantial dinner or even a sandwich.
It’s go-go-go, and having a packed lunch makes things so much simpler, whether you’re working from home, an office, or even on the road.
Even better is when you can prepare your week’s worth of lunches on a Sunday or a weeknight after work in only 45 minutes. Making your meals ahead of time can save you so much time and keep you feeling energetic, so you can concentrate on doing what you do best—kicking ass at work!
Meal preparation lowers stress
I remember how anxious I was to have to go food shopping and prepare meals when I first began working and couldn’t eat at home.
After a hard day, making a lot of food at home was the last thing I wanted to do. Additionally, I wasn’t earning enough money to support eating out, so I was forced to depend on home-cooked meals.
You can trust me when I say from experience that having all of your breakfasts and lunches prepared at the start of the week is a lifesaver and enables you to concentrate on getting things done throughout the week by releasing mental space and energy. No rushing to have supper on the table at the last minute, either.
Breakfast preparation
Almost every day of the week, I have the same breakfast, which is often an egg white crustless quiche that I make ahead of time since I hate cooking in the morning.
I have a love-hate relationship with breakfast, so I like to have it prepared ahead of time, or at the very least have it be something I can whip up in under 5 minutes. Some of my favorite breakfast recipes are listed below
- Overnight oats: Combine oats, milk, yogurt, and toppings of your choice in a jar or bowl the night before. Refrigerate overnight and enjoy in the morning!
- Yogurt parfait: Layer yogurt, fruit, granola, and nuts in a jar or glass.
- Hard-boiled eggs: boil eggs the night before and enjoy them in the morning with toast, fruit, or vegetables.
- Smoothie: Blend together your favorite fruits, vegetables, and yogurt for a quick and easy breakfast smoothie.
- Breakfast burrito: Scramble some eggs and add your favorite fillings, such as cheese, salsa, and vegetables. Wrap it up in a tortilla and enjoy!
- Breakfast sandwich: Toast two slices of bread and add your favorite breakfast fillings, such as eggs, cheese, and bacon.
- Avocado toast: Mash an avocado and spread it on toast. Top with your favorite toppings, such as eggs, cheese, and everything but the bagel seasoning.
- Whole-wheat waffles: Make whole-wheat waffles and top them with your favorite toppings, such as fruit, nuts, and yogurt.
- Breakfast muffins: Make a batch of breakfast muffins ahead of time and enjoy them in the morning. There are many different recipes available, so you can find one that fits your dietary needs and preferences.
- Breakfast cookies: Bake a batch of breakfast cookies ahead of time and enjoy them in the morning. There are many different recipes available, so you can find one that fits your dietary needs and preferences.
Lunch preparation
I do have a few go-to lunches that I usually eat, but I also want to branch out and try new things. I often prepare my lunches in advance for the week in the form of grab-and-go mason jars or meal prep bowls, and I plan to have leftovers from supper at least 1-2 days a week. The following are a couple of my favorite lunches that I often eat:
- Chicken salad sandwich: Cook some chicken breast ahead of time and shred it. Combine with mayonnaise, celery, onion, and seasonings. Spread on bread and enjoy!
- Tuna salad sandwich: Combine canned tuna with mayonnaise, celery, onion, and seasonings. Spread on bread and enjoy!
- Hard-boiled egg salad sandwich: Mash some hard-boiled eggs and combine with mayonnaise, celery, onion, and seasonings. Spread on bread and enjoy!
- Veggie sandwich: Spread your favorite hummus on bread and top with your favorite vegetables, such as tomatoes, cucumbers, and sprouts.
- Salad with grilled chicken or fish: Grill some chicken or fish ahead of time and chop it up. Add to a salad with your favorite vegetables and dressing.
- Soup: Make a batch of soup ahead of time and heat it up for lunch. There are many different recipes available, so you can find one that fits your dietary needs and preferences.
- Leftovers: If you have leftovers from dinner, pack them up for lunch the next day.
- Pasta salad: Cook some pasta ahead of time and combine it with your favorite vegetables and dressing.
- Quinoa salad: Cook some quinoa ahead of time and combine it with your favorite vegetables and dressing.
- Rice bowl: Cook some rice ahead of time and top it with your favorite vegetables, protein, and sauce.
Dinner preparation
Another meal of the day with which I have a love-hate connection is dinner. I have high expectations for it since it’s my favorite meal of the day; no sandwiches or salads for me. It’s the one time of day I can really decompress; therefore, I need a steaming hot bowl of something bursting with flavor to savor when I sit back and unwind.
- Sheet pan chicken fajitas: Toss chicken breasts, bell peppers, and onions with olive oil and seasonings. Spread on a sheet pan and roast until cooked through. Serve with your favorite toppings, such as tortillas, guacamole, sour cream, and salsa.
- One-pan pasta with sausage and vegetables: Brown Italian sausage in a large skillet. Add pasta, vegetables, and broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until pasta is cooked through.
- Slow cooker beef stew: Brown beef in a large skillet. Add to slow cooker with vegetables, broth, and seasonings. Cook on low for 6-8 hours, or until beef is tender.
- Salmon with roasted vegetables: Toss salmon fillets with olive oil and seasonings. Roast in a preheated oven until cooked through. Serve with your favorite roasted vegetables.
- Stir-fry: Stir-fry your favorite vegetables and protein in a wok or large skillet with a little oil and sauce. Serve over rice or noodles.
- Soup: Make a batch of soup ahead of time and heat it up for dinner. There are many different recipes available, so you can find one that fits your dietary needs and preferences.
- Salad with grilled chicken or fish: Grill some chicken or fish ahead of time and chop it up. Add to a salad with your favorite vegetables and dressing.
- Sandwiches or wraps: Assemble your favorite sandwiches or wraps using your favorite bread, protein, vegetables, and condiments.
- Rice bowls: Cook some rice and top it with your favorite vegetables, protein, and sauce.
- Tacos or burritos: Fill your favorite tortillas with your favorite toppings, such as meat, beans, rice, vegetables, and cheese.
Snack Preparation
I like to have snacks on the spur of the moment rather than preparing them in advance as other people do. But I will admit that I strive to always have a supply of wholesome, quick-access snacks in the home.
I try to have some high-protein, low-calorie snacks on hand as well as a high-quality whey protein for after workouts. If I’m craving something a little sweeter, I’ll sometimes also create my own granola bars or energy bites.
- Hard-boiled eggs: Hard-boil eggs ahead of time and enjoy them as a snack on their own or with some vegetables.
- Yogurt parfait: Layer yogurt, fruit, granola, and nuts in a jar or glass for a grab-and-go snack.
- Fruit and nut butter: Spread your favorite nut butter on sliced fruit for a healthy and satisfying snack.
- Veggie and hummus: Dip your favorite vegetables in hummus for a delicious and nutritious snack.
- Popcorn: Air-popped popcorn is a low-calorie snack that is high in fiber. You can add a little bit of salt, pepper, or Parmesan cheese to taste.
- Trail mix: Combine your favorite nuts, seeds, and dried fruit for a delicious and energy-boosting snack.
- Energy bites: Combine your favorite ingredients, such as oats, nuts, seeds, and dried fruit, into energy bites for a quick and easy snack.
- Smoothie: Blend together your favorite fruits, vegetables, and yogurt for a refreshing and nutritious snack.
- Rice cakes: Top rice cakes with your favorite toppings, such as nut butter, fruit, or yogurt.
- Whole-wheat crackers: Serve whole-wheat crackers with your favorite cheese, dip, or sliced vegetables.
Meal Prep Advice
Ensure simplicity. It’s acceptable if you just doubt your ability to organize three meals every day. To make sure there are enough leftovers for lunches throughout the week, try preparing supper for every meal of the week.
From there, you may have a healthy supply of snacks and simple breakfast recipes until you come across something you feel confident cooking and are certain you will like.
Repeat using the same components. The greatest technique to minimize food waste is, without a doubt this. Make the most of ingredient substitutions when you can by using those carrots in two or three other recipes.
If you prefer red peppers or zucchini to eggplant, you definitely don’t need to include them in that dish. Purchase fresh ingredients that you may use in several dishes.
Prepare the ingredients in advance. You’re going to prepare quinoa bowls later in the week, right? Prepare the quinoa or other grains beforehand, or bake or boil the chicken to make pulled chicken later in the workweek. Some ingredients in a recipe benefit from being prepared in advance.
Maintain a well-stocked spice cabinet and pantry. Another significant one for me is this. In addition to making sure my pantry and fridge are stocked with essentials like butter, olive oil, onions, garlic, crushed tomatoes, bouillon cubes, coconut milk, pickles, hot sauce, mustard, vinegars, and you name it, I ALWAYS make sure I have a ton of spices on hand so I can just add a little bit here and there. When you try to cook a meal and realize you already have the majority of the ingredients, life becomes so much simpler.
Keep your freezer well-stocked. This takes me to my second tip, which is to stock your freezer with plenty of meat.
When meat is on sale, I personally prefer to purchase large quantities of it. I have a huge range of meats on hand, ranging from turkey sausages to ground beef, shrimp, and scallops. Of course, there was also an endless supply of skinless, boneless chicken breasts.
Even though buying everything at once may be pricey, if you have all of these things on hand, you’ll be less inclined to eat out since you’ll know you have plenty of alternatives to satisfy any desires you may have! And over time, it may be less expensive!
Be kind to yourself. Life has a way of happening, and that’s alright. There will be days when you just don’t feel like cooking, and that’s alright.
Your meal plan is supposed to keep you organized and allow you to see your whole week at a glance. However, being organized will help you restart the following day!
